Item - 2020.EX16.1

The Executive Committee recommends that:

1. City Council establish a Confronting Anti-Black Racism Council Advisory Body, in accordance with the Terms of Reference in Attachment 3 to the report (September 9, 2020) from the City Manager, for the term ending November 14, 2022 or until their mandate is completed within the 2018 to 2022 term.

Systemic discrimination in our city deeply impacts the life chances and opportunities of Indigenous, Black, and racialized communities, and leads to disparities in health, social, economic and political outcomes. 

For many decades, Indigenous, Black and racialized communities have spoken out about their deep mistrust of public institutions – including our police services. Various reports have underscored this mistrust with evidence of systemic discrimination; disproportionate use of force including deadly force, invasive searches, and greater surveillance and street checks.

Changes are needed to restore community trust, police accountability and equitable effectiveness to policing and the justice system.

At its June 2020 meeting, City Council adopted 36 decisions (CC22.2) related to policing reforms. These decisions covered areas touching on policing, public safety and crisis response. At its meeting on August 18, 2020, the Toronto Police Services Board also adopted 81 decisions on policing reforms, including reforms requested by City Council.

Since the adoption of City Council's decisions in CC22.2, there have been actions by the Toronto Police Services Board and the City to advance policing reforms and engage the public. The following are a few of those actions: 

- The Toronto Police Services Board held four full-day town hall meetings on July 9, 10, 15 and 16, 2020. These forums were created in response to the thousands of messages that the Board received in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd and the death of Regis Korchinski-Paquet, and related protests in Toronto and around the world. The public was invited to give deputations and over 250 spoke or submitted written or recorded submissions to the Board.

- The Mayor, on behalf of City Council, requested the province to immediately implement the reforms recommended by Justice Tulloch, to allow City Council to have direct oversight over the Police Services Budget, and to make police conduct and accountability changes.

- The City Manager, as directed by City Council, requested the Province to amend legislation to expand the City of Toronto's Auditor General's jurisdiction to include auditing the Toronto Police Service.

- Toronto Police Service posted on its website, its use of force policy, a line-by-line breakdown of the Toronto Police Service's 2020 Budget as well as 5 years of budget summaries.

- To advance City Council decisions on engaging community to support the creation of alternative community response models, staff have established an alternative community safety response accountability table with a first meeting scheduled for early October.

- As per Council's request, staff have drafted Terms of Reference for the implementation of a Confronting Anti-Black Racism Council Advisory Body to assist in further advancing City Council‘s commitment to addressing anti-Black racism in Toronto.

- A dedicated team of City staff, with engagement from community experts, are developing alternative community response models, recommendations for community investments in critical community and social services that better address the root causes of safety and security, and advancing the tracking and reporting of actions taken on City Council's decisions in CC22.2. 
 

This report provides:

-An update on the status of City Council's directions on policing reforms from its June 2020 meeting;

- Proposed Terms of Reference for establishing a Confronting Anti-Black Racism Council Advisory Body; and

- Next steps including community engagement plans.